How to Grow a Podcast in 2026 From Scratch (What I’d Do Differently)

If your podcast stopped growing, you are likely stuck in a podcast plateau: your effort goes up, your downloads stay flat, and the cause is almost never the algorithm. It is a broken system. You are finding guests, recording, editing, and publishing on schedule, yet your episodes are not reaching the people you made them for. Podcast growth is not random. It happens when your systems work together, and when one system is weak, it bottlenecks everything else. That is why more content will not fix a broken system. In this episode of As It Relates to Podcasting, Simona Costantini, founder and CEO of VOLT Productions and the strategist behind more than 65 podcast launches, introduces the 10 podcast growth systems she teaches on stages and uses inside her agency. You will learn the three groups that power every growing show: Content Foundation, which keeps listeners engaged; Visibility and Consistency, which gets your episodes found; and Growth and Momentum, which compounds your results over time. This is the kickoff to a 10-part series, one system per episode, so you can score your own podcast as you go. Find the system holding your show back, and start there. Inside this episode: Why your podcast stopped growing even when your content, guests, and publishing schedule are strong, and why a broken system, not the algorithm, is almost always the real cause. What a podcast plateau actually looks like: your effort keeps rising, your downloads and views stay flat, and your episodes are not reaching the listeners you created them for. How one weak podcast growth system bottlenecks everything else, so even a great conversation with a powerful guest underperforms when your optimization and distribution are not working together. Why more content will not fix a broken system, and why going back to basics, like publishing biweekly instead of weekly, can do more for your show than adding episodes. The three groups of podcast growth systems Simona Costantini teaches: Content Foundation, Visibility and Consistency, and Growth and Momentum, plus what each group does for your show. The full list of 10 podcast growth systems, from positioning and episode intent to authority expansion and momentum, and how to score your own podcast as the series unfolds.

Podcast growth in 2026 means more than climbing the charts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It means showing up as the answer when someone asks an AI platform a question in your niche. If your show isn't coming up in those answers, the listeners who need you most can't find you. And in every workshop Simona Costantini has led lately, podcasters say the same thing: they're struggling to connect with their audience and get in front of the right people. In this episode of As It Relates to Podcasting, Simona Costantini, Founder and CEO of VOLT Productions and a judge for the Signal Awards, the International Podcast Awards, and the Women in Podcasting Awards, returns after six months away welcoming her daughter. She shares what she's seeing across the podcast industry, why VOLT Productions now optimizes every client show for SEO, AEO, and GEO, and how VOLT's new podcast guest pitching service is landing clients on the right shows. You'll also get a preview of her 10 podcast growth systems, the workshop framework she's delivered at events over the last six months, plus a simple AI search test you can run on your own show today. You deserve to be heard. Let's make sure you're found. In this episode: Podcast growth in 2026 depends on visibility working in tandem: guest appearances, strong guests on your own show, niche solo episodes, and content built for how algorithms search today. AI search optimization for podcasts goes beyond SEO. Simona explains why AEO and GEO decide whether your show comes up as the answer when someone asks an AI platform a question. A simple AI search test you can run today: type your ideal listener's questions into your favorite AI platform, note which shows come up, then study their titles, descriptions, and show notes. Why your podcast title, show description, episode titles, and show notes all matter for discoverability, and how each one helps search engines match your show to the right listener. How podcast guest pitching builds visibility, and why VOLT Productions added a pitching service that books clients as guests on other shows and finds guests for their own podcasts. Why Simona called a full hiatus instead of publishing inconsistently, and why she chose to wait until she could deliver episodes that are truly worth your time. What's next on As It Relates to Podcasting: a weekly series on Simona's 10 podcast growth systems, plus the fall return of her Happiness Happens podcast.

AI for podcasters is everywhere in 2026. But faster does not automatically mean better. In this episode of As It Relates to Podcasting, Simona breaks down the right way to use AI in your podcast workflow without sacrificing originality, emotional nuance, or trust with your audience. AI can help you move faster. It can help you outline episodes, generate show notes, draft captions, pull timestamps, and simplify editing. But when you let AI lead your thought leadership, storytelling, or point of view, your show becomes generic. And generic podcasts do not grow. This episode walks you through where AI fits into a modern podcast strategy, where it should never lead, and how to protect the one thing that makes your show scalable in 2026, your voice. If you are building a podcast this year and wondering how to balance efficiency with authenticity, this is your roadmap. Inside this episode: Why AI for podcasters should remove admin, not replace perspective The difference between automated podcasting and human-led strategy Why publishing raw AI output makes your show forgettable How to run a “voice check” before releasing AI-assisted scripts Where AI works best, outlines, summaries, timestamps, first drafts Why your final edits must always be human-led How to use AI for show notes without killing SEO Testing titles against real search behavior Why AI-generated clips often miss the emotional hook Protecting trust in the age of automation Why your voice is the product and AI is the assistant

Why is my podcast not growing in 2026? Most creators think they need better promotion, more episodes, or more content. The real issue is structural. Your podcast is not the product, and treating it like one is quietly stalling your growth. If your podcast is the only thing you’re building, your growth will always feel fragile. Most creators are trying to grow downloads, followers, and subscribers. But they’re building their podcast like it’s the final product instead of what it actually is: the front door to everything else they do. In this episode of As It Relates to Podcasting, Simona Costantini breaks down the biggest mindset shift in podcast growth for 2026. Your show is not the business. It’s the introduction to your thinking. It shapes belief. It builds trust. It opens the relationship. And when you treat it like the end goal instead of the ecosystem entry point, growth stalls. You’ll learn why trust always precedes conversion, how episodes build authority over time, and why the real value of your podcast happens after the listen. This episode also covers why owning your audience matters more than chasing algorithms, how clear call to actions increase momentum, and why strategy will always beat volume. If your podcast feels stuck, this conversation will help you rebuild it as an asset instead of a fragile content stream. This is about building something that compounds. Inside this episode: Why your podcast is the front door, not the product How episodes shape belief before they sell Why trust precedes conversion every time The mistake of selling too early Why the real value happens after the listen Email lists, communities, and owning your audience Why algorithms cannot replace direct relationships How clear call to actions increase conversions Why too many CTAs kill momentum Strategy over volume in podcast growth Intent over output How to align your show with your larger ecosystem Why systems and clarity create sustainable growth

Video podcasting is everywhere, but most creators are adding video without understanding what problem it actually solves. In this episode of As It Relates to Podcasting, Simona Costantini breaks down when video actually helps your podcast grow, when it quietly hurts your momentum, and why audio still does the heavy lifting when it comes to trust, retention, and long-term loyalty. This episode dismantles the myth that every podcast must be video-first. You’ll learn why video is a distribution strategy, not a requirement, how YouTube really evaluates content, and why clarity, structure, and consistency matter more than flashy visuals. Simona explains how bad video can stall growth faster than no video at all, why audio completion rates remain higher, and how your voice is the true relationship-builder behind every successful show. If you’ve been feeling pressure to add video, questioning whether it’s worth the effort, or wondering how to grow without burning out, this episode will help you choose a format that supports your voice instead of draining it. This is a grounded, strategic take on podcast growth in 2026, built for creators who want sustainability, not resentment. Inside this episode: Should you start a video podcast, and who video actually benefits Why video is a distribution strategy, not a growth requirement How YouTube rewards clarity, consistency, and structure over visuals The difference between discoverability and listener loyalty Why bad video can hurt your podcast more than no video at all What production issues erode trust with viewers Why audio still wins for intimacy, retention, and completion rates How multitasking drives consistent listening habits Why your voice builds familiarity faster than visuals When and how to use a strategic hybrid podcast approach Recording audio-first to protect quality and sustainability Using video for discoverability and audio for relationships Why sustainability beats trends every time Choosing a format that supports your creativity instead of draining it